To Bring Her Roses
by DropsOfTwilight
Summary: Twist on Edward and Bella's breakup. Fluff should be evident, without going overboard. Just be paitent. Updates will come relatively quickly, so hopefully you guys like it! CHAPTER 7 IS UP! PLEASE read beginning AN!
1. Chapter 1: Up to Valdez

**A/N: So, this is my first fanfic, don't be too harsh. :) It might not be so believable, but this is what I truly wish had happened after Edward had left Bella in the woods in New Moon. The italicized words are the thoughts of the person who is doing something. If you read Twilight and New Moon, then it shouldn't be too hard to figure out who's who. Chapters 1 is set in Edward's PointofView. Please Read/Review, of course. Oh and Valdez is a city north of Denali, Alaska. Kay that's all the spoilers for right now:)  
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_Disclaimer: I don't own twilight or new moon, Stephenie Meyer has dibs. She's awesome of course, so I'm here to support her! _

_Away, I have to go away. Bella, I just...away. That's where I'm going. Away._ I couldn't tell her these things. Only she and God know that I decided on a clean break. I had run through the woods, past the trees, and the rain, and the damp.

_DON'T look back. Don't. You can't._ And I didn't. The farther I ran, the more trees I passed, and the closer I got to my car. The wet splattered my face, and acted as the tears that would have escaped my eyes, were I human. The thought of the hurt inside of both of us played frenzy within me. Not warming me like Bella could, but a burning that tortured me. I realized how much the hurt had spread through my empty soul like venom. The irony, I know.

I landed in a puddle next to the door. I looked at my face in the window. The reflection was unbearable; I couldn't think straight, let alone look myself in the face. I opened the car door with unusually strong force, slid into the driver's seat and slammed the door simultaneously. I had to go. Find a place, a place that I might call _away_.

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I was passing Valdez, driving along the coast for God knows what reason. I pushed the gas pedal of the Volvo evermore, even though the arrow in the speedometer was as far to the right as possible. Passersby were nothing but a blur, and I shook my head, thinking of how these sights so resembled the thoughts swimming in my mind. Bella's brown eyes looked reproachfully at me in my head, and I slapped the steering wheel. _It's for her own good. She needs a happy life. She can't have that. Not with me around. Why can't she understand that?_

I drove north to Denali, which had annoyingly become a constant place of refuge. Why? I turned left towards the village which had surprisingly stayed hidden for many years. A light in the distance brought a force upon me that urged me to stay away. Not for danger, but for me to go back. I couldn't. Not now, not yet, at least.

I continued, a bit slower, straight up the dirt rock road and looked into the darkness. I glanced at the speedometer, if only for a second, to think about something else. My mind wouldn't let me. The darkness flooded in, we were so much farther north than Forks. _Bella brought me out of the darkness. She was so warm. So, so warm. She was beautiful; both her body and soul._ I slapped the steering wheel once again. _Stop it! Stop thinking of her! She doesn't deserve you. Just keep driving. She'll understand._

My jaw tightened. I didn't want her to understand. I didn't want her to _have_ to understand. No one should have to be forced to understand the lie that the love of their life didn't want her, that I didn't love her. It wasn't true. It was complete blasphemy. I wanted to be human. I wanted that to be reality, but it never would be. My chest, as empty as my comfort, my place of Bella, tensed.

On instinct, I drove to the side of the road, as a courtesy to other drivers on a most deserted road. The dark didn't scare me. The emptiness scared me above all. The emptiness that was a sign, telling me of my scarred future. The future I could have, the future I would have, if I left her like this and abandoned the feeling that my heart unmistakably felt.

I breathed deeply, knowing that the air would never reach my long lost lungs, and that the gesture was completely useless. The lights on the dashboard of the car were still illuminated, as if they were telling me that there was still hope. Hope to right my dreadful, stupid, immature wrong.

I slowly reached toward the gear shift, clicked the stick to the drive gear, and made a U-turn, back to Forks, back to love, back home, and back to the woman, whose love made my cold dead heart ache before I even reached '_away'_. Back to my Bella.


	2. Chapter 2: He Took Off His Shirt

**A/N: Thanks for the reviews! I had Chapter 2 ready for you guys, and since I got reviews, its up and running. I like the title, do you:) Thanks again for reading.**

_Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer has dibs on Twilight/New Moon._

I slowed the Volvo when I came within the town's limits. 'Welcome to Forks', donned a worn sign, with paint that faded from age and neglect. My silver cell phone was lying on the passenger's seat. It lit up and vibrated wildly. The caller id read 'Alice', and I flipped the phone open.

"So, you're going back, huh?" Alice's voice rang from the other end.

"Looks like it," he wouldn't give her any more than that.

"Calm down, I saw you driving past the Forks sign. I wasn't sure if you'd go through with it. But anyway, tell her I said 'hello'. Good luck. How are you going to get back to her?"

"I'm _working_ on it, okay?"

"Okay, okay, just wondering. Carlisle said we should stay here, just in case. In case, you decide to come back."

"_Alice _--"

"I know, I know. I'm just joking.."

"You've got cruel jokes. I have to go."

"All ri--"he closed the phone, and threw it onto the passenger's seat.

I thought over what I was going to say. _"Bella, I'm sorry I left you. I do love you..." No, I can't say that. She'd just push me away. Or would she? "Bella, I..." Ugh! How can I...? Stupid! Stupid! Think this through! Okay, she must be sleeping by now. Maybe...maybe I can convince her that I was dared to do this. No, she wouldn't believe that. I could tell her that it was a dream. That it was a nightmare and I wasn't thinking! _I wasn't really thinking at all when I decided to come back in the first place.

I turned on to her street, and a dim light was on in the living room. I looked at the glowing green digital clock above the stereo. Charlie must have been asleep at the T.V.; it was past 10:15. Bella's light was not on. _Why would Bella be asleep? unless she wasn't in her room. _I stayed in the car, curious as I was, and mauled over the situation.

I pushed the black button and released until the window disappeared into the door. I breathed in the cool night air, and hoped that her scent would reach me. It did, and I listened intently. A sound much like rain, which was ever-present in Forks, told me that Bella was taking a shower. Her breathing was uneven, and I was jealous that she got to cry the way I had felt inside, not twenty minutes earlier.

_Wait, she was in the shower._ _Which means that I had time...time to do something extravagant; something that would make her approve of the beast I most inescapably was. _ An idea sparked in my mind, and I almost breathed in too much air, the coolness made my throat a little drier. I started the car silently, and sped to a nearby garden beneath the moonlight that urged me on.

I stalked over a dozen roses but none were right, not for her. I pulled the branches of a small shrub that had been cowering over a large area on the south end of the garden. Whoever owned this place would be upset, but that didn't matter now. _Nothing compared to what Bella needed right now. _The branches were sheltering a small, yet bountiful cluster of blood red roses. The moonlight danced over the edges of the petals, and I looked at them, approving silently.

I took off my shirt, and lay it on the ground next to the bushes. I grabbed the whole rose cluster and ripped it from the ground. Had I been human, the thorns would have torn my skin terribly and I would have bled. But, without wincing, I gently took the blossoms of the flowers and sprinkled the petals, over the open shirt, which separated willingly at my command. I used my heightened speed to make a nearly overflowing pile of rose petals, each thick and soft. Calm, the way I had hoped Bella would feel after this.

I gathered the rose petals and started up the car back to the front of Bella's house; the garden was about one block away. I tiptoed ever so slightly to the side near Bella's window, with the makeshift shirt-bowl of Bella's petals in my hand. The water in the shower was still pouring; _why did she take such long showers_? I suspect it was because she didn't hurry like she would when I was waiting in her room for her to finish. That's alright, more time for me.

I jumped up to the branch of the tree outside her window, without so much as a grunt or groan, from me or the tree, as has been practiced almost every night before tonight. I didn't want to wake Charlie, although he was pretty much out on the couch; I heard his nearly silent snores.

I could see through the window and through the open doorway of Bella's bedroom that the bathroom light was on, beneath the closed door of the bathroom. Her scent made me a little dizzy. But, no, for now, I had somewhat of a little mission to complete first.

I closed her door silently, and put the shirt full of rose petals on the bed. I gently grabbed a handful of petals and trailed some from her door to the side of her bed. I silently eased her bedroom door open again and continued the trail from the door of her bedroom to a several inches away from the bathroom door. I didn't want her to slip on the petals; I'd give her at least four steps so that she'd notice them.

The shower head vibrated off, and I knew she was done. I don't have much time. She'd have to change, brush her teeth and her hair, and towel-dry her hair. Not much time left.

I lined the edges of her bed with rose petals, being generous with the lining; I gathered maybe one too many petals. In the middle I made an outline of a heart; a tight heart, but not a fat one, to let her know that I wanted to be mature about this. I scribbled as fast as I could on a piece of scrap paper, yet in my best hand writing. The message was short, and I was excited to see what would unfold in the next few minutes. I sat on her bed. _Should I wait here? No. Don't startle her or upset her._

I stood up yet again, and thought hard. _What would be best for Bella?_ Clink! She must have dropped something in the bathroom. Maybe a toothbrush, it didn't sound like she slipped, and I chuckled softly. _Clumsy Bella. Oh no! Where should I go?_ I heard her feet slap the tile floor in the bathroom, and near the door. I reached for the shirt that held the petals, and pulled it over my head. I placed the paper in the center of the heart on her bed, and slipped silently into the closet where I had hid numerous times before.

The bathroom door squeaked open, and she exited the bathroom onto the carpet towards her room. She attempted to towel-dry her brown silky hair, and her head hung low, as she tried to absorb some of the loose water drops at the top of her head. That's when she saw it: the red spots against the white carpet. She bent down to run her hands over one of the large spots and it moved by act of friction. She ran her hand over it again, and picked it up wondering what it was, and confused by its presence here. _What's this? A rose petal? But, who wou..._ She looked over the rail and into the living. Charlie was sound asleep on his favorite chair, snoring soft snores, which didn't assure her much.

She brought the petal to her face, and looked at the others. They led to her bedroom door that was shut, knowing all too well that she hadn't shut it herself. She stood up again and kept the rose petal in her right hand. It was soft and warm, and she rubbed it in her hand as she inched toward her door, wondering what could await her. _Not HIM. It couldn't be him. He...left... Didn't he?_ She held her breath at she placed her left hand on the brass door handle.


	3. Chapter 3: TearRidden Brown Eyes

**A/N: Yay! This chapter is up! I like this one. Brace yourself, you might tear a bit. I admit I almost did the first time I actually read through it. Again, I welcome reviews and constructive criticism, thanks. & thanks to those who did review. :) Thanks for reading and I hope you like it!**

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I was holding my breath sitting in her closet, again for no reason; she wouldn't hear me anyway. Silently, I breathed in her scent which inhabited her clothes. I could smell the strong, luring aroma that sneaked beneath the space under her bedroom door. She must have seen the petals, and she must be outside. I could somehow feel the wet on her soft, warm skin, and I thirsted for her touch, her soothing touch. Click.

She didn't open the door fully, but she turned the knob slowly. The door was slightly ajar; she was moving as slow as possible in opening the door, hoping to God that there wasn't some lovesick pedophile waiting behind it. The bottom of the door barely scathed the continuing trail of crimson rose petals. She stopped the door for a moment, to take her breath in, and proceeded, at a seemingly faster speed, to open the door fully.

No one was there, not in front of her face, and not on her bed or on her desk, not visible at the least. She thought that she was going to drop right there, as a lonesome tear trickled down her beautiful face. She wiped her right eye with her hand, which she just now remembers held the evidence of a trail of rose petals.

"Hello?" she said stupidly.

She looked on towards the bed, where the design of rose petals continued. Her bed was illuminated by the sparkling drops of moonlight gently dancing across each petal. Sitting down, looking around, her eyes set on the closet door.

He wouldn't give this to her yet. She needed to see the paper first.

"Edward..." she whispered, hoping that it was not a question, that had escaped her lips, but a proclamation.

She scooted on to the bed further towards the pillows, and threw her towel onto the chair near the desk. Her insides seemed to crumple, right there on the beautiful design. She sobbed, into her pillow, cried into the darkness, and wept for her and him.

Inside of the closet, Edward listened to her pleading sobs, wishing he could just come out and hold her in his arms. _But it's not appropriate. She needs to get the paper first. To understand that it's me. _He folded his arms across his chest, feeling like a child.

She wiped her face, trying to be brave amidst all that's happened. She touched the rose petals, and they caressed her hands. The paper that her longing hands discover scratch against the material on her comforter. _What's this?_ she pondered without really asking. She grabbed the paper and unfolded it. It was no larger than an index card, and torn on one edge.

She held it in her hand and her fingers trembled slightly. _It can't be real. No it's not. Why? Why is this here? Who put this here? Who played this dirty trick? It can't be..._

"Edward?" she whispered - it was a question this time.

"I'm here, Bella," a velvety voice tickled her ears. "I'm here."

"What?" _Was this a hallucination? Is he really...?_ Her eyes were still on the piece of paper in her hands.

"Bella, it's me."

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**2nd A/N: The note on the bed said "I am sorry, I love you. Please forgive me." I didn't know how to put it up here, so just imagine it, and in Edward's handwriting.**


	4. Chapter 4: Wake Up

**A/N: Quick update, don't know when I'll be able to after this Saturday. :( sorry! I hope you like this part so far; I kind of left you guys on a cliffhanger this last chapter, huh? Lame title, I'll try to think of a better one. Thanks for reviews, and thanks for reading!**

_Disclaimer-Which I totally forgot to do last time, sorry!: Stephenie Meyer's is a genius, she owns, literally; this disclaimer accounts for Chapter 3 and any other chapter that I totally blanked on. _:)**  
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He slid open the door, slowly, slower than he has ever moved in his life--the one that he no longer had. He walked observantly to the side of her bed. He didn't touch her. He just looked at the curtain of brown, silky hair that covered her eyes brimmed with tears.

"Bell--"

"Why?" was all she could ask.

"What?" this caught him by surprise. He wanted her to welcome him with open arms.

"Why did you say...that you...never loved me? Why?" her voice cracked.

He just looked at her with repentant eyes, and his lips smoothed into a flat line. He was at a loss of what to say.

"I wanted to protect you, Bella," he sounded weak and broken. Bella was the one who was brave at this moment. She pulled her hair behind her left ear, and she saw his pants, but no part above that. He reached his hand to her hand and she didn't take it. He pulled it back.

This reminded the both of them of their "first date" at the La Bella Italia in Port Angeles. Bella reached for his hand and he took it back. This time Bella didn't want his hand; she wanted an explanation.

"Is that all you can say?" she said with a voice showing vicious anger that was unfamiliar to the both of them. She scooted to the other side of the bed, in a gesture to let him sit on the bed to explain.

"Bella, I...this is hard for me to put to words, really..." Edward managed to stutter.

"When we were in the forest, you didn't want to tell me much. And that hurt, please just tell me. Why did you say that you didn't love me?" She traced a stitch on her bed comforter.

"I...I never wanted you to get hurt. I didn't want you to cry the way that you did. You make me weak sometimes, Bella. It's hard to say what I really think I need to say when you look at me the way you do." Her head was still bowed down and he continued. "Bella, I lied. I'm sorry and I still wonder if you don't believe me," he waited for a response, but not a sound emitted from her mouth except for uneven breathing.

"Bella, you don't deserve my love. It doesn't nearly reach the...share that your soul requires. I'd love to give that to you, but I can't. I came back so I wouldn't be a coward, and run away. I came back, but you don't have to act like you love me. I love you, Bella. It's true. You are my light in the dark, and you don't know how long I've waited for one. If I was human, you'd be like my breath of air after being underwater for too long. Bella, you are my one, and I wanted you to know this because you are so special. You are my life, but I don't want to hold you back, not for a second. So if you don't want me anymore, I'll understand. What I did was horrible, and if I could pay it all back, I would. Never again will I lie like that. If you know of a way that I could pay it back to you, I'd gladly do it, because I exist only for you, Bella, I'd do it in a heartbeat, and I just...love you."

She was quiet the whole time. He saw tears dropping from her eyes to her legs all throughout his confession. He reached his hand out again, yet this time it lay on the bed. _Did she hear me? She didn't accept it. It's best to leave her, she probably doesn't want my pleads. How stupid was I to leave her, when I swore to protect her._ He slowly got up from the bed, took one look at her head bowed down, and the blanket of chocolate brown hair that hid her beautiful face, and turned to leave.

"Wait," she grabbed my arm. Edward turned back to face her and she let her head rise. He saw her porcelain skin, her brown eyes, her full red lips, but the blush that usually pulsed in her cheeks were faded. Her eyes looked worn and red around the edges and they were stained with old and new tears. She looked into both of my eyes, and her bottom lip quivered. "Hold me."

He didn't question her, and she didn't address him by his name. "Hold me," she commanded again and he sat in the middle of the bed. His body and arms curled around her small figure, to let her know that it was safe. "Sleep with me," she said as they lay down together. "Stay with me."

"Of cour--"she put her index finger up to his lips to keep the silence ringing throughout the room. Her fingers held the evidence of her tears, and he could taste the salt on his lips long after she took them away. "I love you, Bella. I'm so, so sorry. Never again."

He hummed the lullaby that he created to her in whispers, and she cried warm, salty tears into his chest. Her breathing started out uneven, and became quieter and calmer as time went by.

"I'm right here, Bella. I'm right here." Edward whispered into her ear, and she just breathed. He wasn't sure if she heard him, until he shifted, and with her hand on the side of his waist, she grasped his shirt, to make sure that he stayed there, near her, right where he should always be.

Understanding that she needed comfort, Edward continued with the lullaby as if answering her silent plea to fill the silence with sweeter sound. The sun rose and its rays played against Bella's soft cheeks. Her breathing was even, and he set her down carefully on the bed.

The digital clock on her dresser read 10:00 am, and Charlie would be coming up soon to check on her. He slipped back into the closet disregarding the rose petals that lie all around her room. Charlie would draw his own conclusions. He didn't come into Bella's room at all, and his car started up outside.


	5. Chapter 5: Reunions & Compromises

**A/N: I just noticed this... I forgot to label the chapter name at the beginning of each of the chapters. My bad. :) So anyways, thanks for the reviews. I finished chapter 5...and chapter 6 & 7. But if you guys wanted me to change something in the story, it shouldn't be too epic. I will accept "epic" change suggestions after chapter 6 is up. For now it stays as is. Sorry! Um, again constructive criticism is welcome, or any type of R&R. My writing technique, like many other writers may agree, is to leave each chapter with a "cliffhanger" of some sort.** **So expect a cliffhanger for future chapters. Please don't scroll down to the end! That would ruin it:D Thanks for the past reviews, and Happy Reading!**

_Disclaimer: Props to Stephenie Meyer; in future, she will be recognized as one of the "greats". She created Twilight and brought a little bit of peace to my world. For that, I praise her. And so does the rest of the world. :)_**  
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Chapter 5: Reunions & Compromises 

"Bella, honey, wake up," Edward whispered in her ear once Charlie's car had left the driveway. Her eyelids stirred and her throat cleared. He curled onto the bed next to her body, both silently smelling the scent that each radiated to each other unknowingly.

Bella slowly sat up and put her hand on Edward's cold, hard fingers. He intertwined his own and she let him. She rested her eyes upon their hands and didn't look up at his face. He used his other hand to stroke her forearm.

"Edward..." but he didn't take his hand from her arm.

"Shh... Bella, I love you. I always have and I always will. Remember that. Don't ever forget it."

She finally looked up to his face and her eyes had a trickle of a tear left on them. She pulled her hand out of their lock with Edward's hand and brought both of her hands up to his shoulders. She snuck her hand behind his neck and pulled her full, warm lips to his cold ones. Bella kissed him hard and long, and wouldn't let him leave until she was good and ready, although he didn't exactly object.

She pulled away for a minute and looked deep into his eyes. "Never again," she repeated as he waited. "Never again, Ed...Edward." She looked down again. He lifted his hand to reach his fingertips to her chin and brought her face to the light.

"Never again, Bella. Never." He pulled his cold lips to hers this time and kissed her lightly. She pulled her hands down to his chest and admired the way that his shirt played against his smooth rock-hard body. Her fingers danced in front of his stomach and she looked up at his face again. The last tear, it seemed, ran down her reddened cheek and he brought his thumb to wipe away her tear.

"Can we go for a walk?" Bella asked and looked at Edward's beautiful face.

They stood up and Bella grabbed out an aqua blue open knit sweater with a white tank top and her favorite pair of black capris. She slipped off her pajama tank top and pulled the white tank top over her head. She kept her eyes on Edward who looked the other way, as she straightened her hair around her shoulders. She pulled down her sweat shorts that she threw on last night and kicked them to the side. Her eyes still on his face she pulled up the capris and buttoned the top.

"What?" she laughed and he looked at her knowing that she was nearly done.

"I just didn't want you to get upset, you know, if I watched you." She brought his chin to face her.

"It's okay. I think I'm okay. But I've never seen you this tense," she giggled.

He was facing her but his eyes were on the rocking chair on the other end of the room. "You're beautiful, Bella, absolutely breathtaking." He looked into her eyes now. "I love you."

"I know..." she said as she pulled the open knit sweater over her tank top, which grasped at her hips quite nicely. She brought some ballet slips to her feet and slid them in; her socks were still on from last night.

"Are you hungry, love?" Edward asked politely.

"Yes. Yes, I am," she replied as she walked out of the door. Edward met her at the top of the stairs and followed her as she walked down, trying her hardest not to trip. They walked into the kitchen and Bella pulled out the milk carton from the refrigerator. The closed the door and Edward stood next to her with a bowl in his hand and the box of cereal ready to go. She grabbed a spoon from the drawer nearest to the refrigerator and placed everything on the table. Before she could grab the back of the chair to pull it out, Edward was standing there with the chair ready for Bella to sit down.

"Thank you," she said and poured the milk over the cereal in her bowl. The clouds of milk created swirls and she ate quicker than usual. When she finished, she stood up and placed the bowl in the sink. She ran it through some hot water and washed the dishes with a sponge.

She turned off the faucet and cold fingertips breezed over her hips. "Ed--Aah!" She spun around fast and tripped over her ballet slips. Crumpled on the floor, Bella looked up, trying to show anger, without results, to Edward's face that showed evidence of clearly trying to suppress laughs. He held out his hands and swung her onto her feet in one motion. She giggled lightly and he brushed his cool lips across her forehead.

"Hey," she said gently. "I have to brush my teeth, and we'll walk first, all right?" He smiled her favorite crooked smile and she blushed in response.

He stayed in the kitchen while she ran upstairs. She feverishly worked the toothbrush against her teeth and washed the remains away from her mouth and around her mouth. She looked up to the mirror, smiled, and smoothed a wrinkle from her tank top. She rubbed lightly beneath her eyes; they had graying circles from yesterday. She took a deep breath and walked back downstairs, careful not to trip or slip again.

"Ready?" and he was beside her in less than a minute, slowly intertwining his hand with hers.

"Of course," he said as he closed the door behind them. The sky was slightly gray, but it wasn't raining out side. It was breezy and the sun was just behind the clouds, but it seemed like it was hiding from them, in courtesy to Bella and Edward's need for privacy.

They walked along the wet sidewalk; it must have been raining earlier, but Edward wasn't paying attention to that. They walked at a medium pace, with silence reigning for nearly ten minutes. Then finally Bella spoke up.

"Tell me something. Where is your family?"

This took Edward by surprise, but he actually had something to say this time.

"They're up in Denali, with the coven from Alaska."

"Is that where you were going when you--?" Bella started.

"Yes, that's where I was headed."

"Are they...well, are they going to come back? I mean, do they know that you're here?"

"They know that I'm here...with you. And they're not sure if they'll come back or not."

"Oh," Bella said. "What about Alice? Would she come back? I mean, without them?"

"Bella, I'm really not sure. If you asked her, maybe. She said 'hello' by the way." Edward stopped them as Bella's cheeks lit up and faded slowly.

"Edward. What's wrong?" Bella looked to his face. He leaned against a white brick wall, and Bella pulled her hands up to his hips. "Edward? What is it?"

"Bell--"

"Look at me," her voice was strained. He still looked away. "Edward. You're...you're scaring me. Look at me." His eyes met hers and they looked sad and solemn.

"Bella, do you know what you do to me? Do you know what this," he ran his hands over hers that rested on his own hips. "What it does to me? Every second of every day, I want your body. I want all of you, but you know that I have to...what's the right word? Abstain. What would happen if you accidentally got a paper cut? Or, or you got a deep scratch from falling down somewhere over here?" he gestured toward the curb. "I don't know if my self-control would be okay. I mean, it'd be there, no doubt about that, but I'm not sure if...I'd be able to use it."

He laughed dryly, and looked down at her face that no longer met his but focused on his hips. He continued anyway.

"Do you see what you do to me? I'll tell you, and no one else has been able to make me say this, but I'm not as brave as I'd like to think, or as brave as I should be."

Here she looked up at his face. His beautiful, untainted skin, his mysterious, golden eyes, and his lips, that since the day she met him, she has wanted to let meet her own lips. _He was so perfect, why would it be so difficult with me? I can, in no way, meet up to his god-like features._

"Do I need you to be brave?" Bella spoke up. "I mean, you could...just, you know... change m--"

"_Bella_, _after_ your graduation," Edward's forehead creased as he spoke these words that made Bella frown every time.

"Well, I'm a senior, you could just stay in my room...for the, you know, rest of the year." She looked up to his face hoping that he would laugh along with her, but his face looked concentrated. "Edward, if you didn't want to do that, you can take it as a joke." He didn't move, and he was listening for something. His nose wrinkled. Bella thought it best to whisper. "Edward, what's wrong? Who--who is it?" She gulped. He pulled her to his side.

"A werewolf." His jaw tightened.


	6. Chapter 6: Confrontation

**A/N: This chapter is short, but what the hell, it's my fanfic anyway. I'm starting to love Jake, and I'm starting to love the whole Jake-and-Edward-hate-each-other thing. I like playing god with their characters, really, so enjoy. :D  
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_Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight, or anything else as fabulous. Well anything "material" for that matter. :)  
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Chapter 6: Confrontation 

Bella felt a low growl that emitted from Edward's chest while her hands were on his back. He walked and turned his body around the corner.

"What do you want, Black?" Edward asked viciously.

"I was just wandering the neighborhood. That a crime, _bloodsucker_?" Jacob spat at him.

"In these streets it is," Edward replied indirectly and under his breath.

"Jacob..." Bella breathed quietly; but not quietly enough, both of them shifted their heads slightly in her direction and whipped them back on each other.

"Shh..." Edward whispered, but Bella heard him quite clearly.

"I'm allowed. It's you, and the rest of the _leeches_ that might be pushing the limit," Jacob said loudly.

"What are you on about? Pushing the limit?"

"You and Bella. If you hurt her, I'll--"

"I won't hurt her and you know damn well that I won't let it happen." Edward's fists clenched; his temper was rising.

"You weren't far from it the other day," Jacob scoffed. Bella looked down at her shoes and Edward's mouth closed into a tight, hard line. "It had better stay that way. I've got...people that are...on my side, if you know what I mean." Jacob's hands trembled.

"There's a treaty, I haven't forgotten. I won't hurt her...or any other _human_ for that matter." His eyes flashed at Jacob as a warning.

Jacob spat at the ground a few inches from Edward's shoes and ran and disappeared into the forest trees.

"Coward," Edward said and walked back to Bella. "Let's go back, Bella. I don't want to stay out here." The clouds were starting to clear, a rare occurrence in Forks. "Here, get on my back, I'll run it to the house. We're not far, but people will see if we walk it all the way back."

Bella pulled her arms around his neck and he braced her legs just above his hips. In one swift motion, Edward pulled her up higher and she felt like a daddy's girl on her father's back at a state carnival.

"Want to close your eyes this time?" Edward asked jokingly.

"Not a chance," Bella whispered in his ear and rested her chin on his left shoulder.

"Hold on," Edward replied, and he smiled to himself. He took off, to Bella's surprise, with a wind type shock that pushed against her face for only half a second. She looked to her left and there was a blur of blue, grey, white, and green. She smiled and Edward, beneath her, turned his head brushing against her own. She closed her eyes and opened them again, on her own doorstep.

"Thanks," she blushed, and Edward took his hand in her own. "Wait, what time is it?"

"I'm not sure," Edward replied. "It looks like it's maybe 5 or 6 o clock."

"Wow, we were out that long, huh?"

She jiggled the keys into the keyhole and turned the front doorknob, their eyes rested in each other's. Bella turned to set the keys on the table next to the door.

"Bell--"said a voice. The voice was not velvety smooth, and though familiar to her, she was not delighted to hear it, afraid of his reaction to he who followed her in the door.

"Hi, Charlie," Bella stammered and closed the front door softly.


	7. Chapter 7: Charlie, Hi!

**A/N: Last chapter is short, again. I had this written up and it was paired with chapter 6 as one whole chapter. But I divided it, so you may regard this chapter as a continuation of chapter 6, if you wish. As you may well know, had you read the past chapters, I prefer to end sections/chapters with cliffhangers. Remember that this story takes place...about 1 or 2 days after Edward left Bella in the forest. So Charlie is upset and Edward needs to apologize or make amends somehow. So read on, don't read ahead. I wasn't sure exactly how to end this, so I made it as is and I could try to continue from the last words of this chapter, but for now, it's ending here. I acknowledge how horrible I am with Author's Notes so please don't remind me, and just...err...read on. R&R greatly recommended! You're almost done:)**

_Disclaimer: Jakey, I'm sorry for making your fight so heated, but it was quite necessary. Oh, and thanks to Stephenie Meyer for making memorable characters, in other words, she owns them. Yay, for her.  
_

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Chapter 7: Charlie

Bella walked toward Charlie and he looked at her with a puzzled yet angry look in his eyes.

"Hello, Edward. I thought you...went home," Charlie attempted, politely as he could.

"Dad--"Bella started, sounding angrier than she really was.

"It was only a question," Charlie said defensively. He shifted in his arm chair and rose to smile at the both of them.

"It was a misunderstanding, sir," Edward came in. "I've apologized, and Bella's forgiven me. I'm thankful for that, and must apologize to you, as well. I'm sorry for all that's happened and all that you went through for Bella. It was a mistake and again, I apologize."

Charlie's face was bemused, and he took a minute to hear all of what Edward had said. Edward's smile was small, but Bella knew that inside he wanted to smile wider at Charlie's expression; Edward definitely did not talk like any ordinary 17-year-old that Charlie knew.

"Eh--It's all right, Edward," Charlie spoke on instinct. "Go in the kitchen and get a glass of water, you look thirsty." He reached down for the television remote and flipped the channel, changed his focus from Edward to the T.V. screen, yet still a bit dazed by what had just happened.

"Okay then," Edward replied, still suppressing a laugh. He glided into the kitchen with Bella by his side. Bella walked ahead and pulled out a tall glass cup from the cupboard. She held the cup beneath the water dispenser on the door of the refrigerator. She pushed the button until the cup was half full and turned around to Edward. She had her back against the counter and Edward was leaning toward her seductively with one arm on either side of her hips.

She brought the brim of the cup to her full lips and he looked up at her eyes. She blushed and giggled, and tipped the cup bringing the cool water into her mouth. Bella lowered the cup and held it about a centimeter from her lips, while he reached up with his right hand to the bottom of the cup and pulled it gently out of her hands. He placed it into the sink, pulled his hands to her waist and trailed beneath her tank top, sending chills up her spine and she giggled lightly.

"Not yet," she smiled. She got on her tiptoes to look into the living room and Charlie was watching the TV intently. She grasped his hand into her own and pulled him to the stairs. By the time they reached the top, Edward surprised her when he held her waist protectively, and she gave a tiny gasp. She looked straight at his face and saw him smiling widely.

She opened her bedroom door. _Nothing looks different. Nothing feels different, except for Edward's hand on my waist. Why was he smiling like that?_

"What're you--"Bella asked at the last second, when Edward pulled her up in one motion and placed her on the bed. She marveled at his strength and he smiled at her in response.

His ocher eyes stared deeply into Bella's brown eyes and her forehead creased, but she smiled back anyway. "What?" she laughed.

"I love you," Edward breathed and he leaned over and brought his lips to hers.

"I know," she smiled and he lay down with her on the bed. She put her head against his chest and he started to hum the lullaby that he created for her. "I love you, too," she whispered, knowing all-too-well that he could hear her anyway, and closed her eyes. After he finished the lullaby, he kissed her hair, held her close, and continued the lullaby into the night, and into twilight.

**Another A/N: It's done!!! sigh it's done. Hope you like it, if you don't waste your time making a review about it.** **Constructive criticism is, again, WELCOME. Thanks for reading!**


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